There are many reasons for businesses to use solar power. Solar power can reduce or eliminate a building’s electric bill. The systems have long term reliability and low maintenance costs, often lasting 25–40 years with little or no maintenance. It’s also good for the environment. So you help the planet, and being a “green” business today also makes your business more attractive to consumers.
With government tax rebates and incentives you’d be surprised at how affordable it is to install a modern solar power electric system for your home. You can even make your utility meter spin backwards. When your solar power system generates more electricity that you consume, your meter actually spins backwards, earning you credit with your utility company at the same rate they are charging you. You could drive your electric bill to zero! At today’s prices that can be a huge savings, quickly paying for the solar power system.
Solar power is energy from the sun that is converted into thermal or electrical energy. Solar energy is the cleanest and most abundant renewable energy source available, and the U.S. has some of the richest solar resources in the world. Solar technologies can harness this energy for a variety of uses, including generating electricity, providing light or a comfortable interior environment, and heating water for domestic, commercial, or industrial use.
Solar or photovoltaic panels decrease your home’s dependency on the main energy grid, and in turn, your power bill. In fact, panels can produce more energy than your house needs. There’s no waste, though — when that happens, the excess electricity is sent back into the power grid. In many states, you are allowed to sell this extra power back to the utility company in a process called net metering, decreasing your bill even more.
Photovoltaic research is more than just making a high-efficiency, low-cost solar cell. Homeowners and businesses must be confident that the solar panels they install will not degrade in performance and will continue to reliably generate electricity for many years. Utilities and government regulators want to know how to add solar PV systems to the electric grid without destabilizing the careful balancing act between electricity supply and demand.